Band: The Presidents of the United States of America
Album: These Are The Good Times People
Genre: Punk/Ska
Label: Fugitive

Tracks:
1. Mixed Up S.O.B.
2. Ladybug
3. Sharpen Up Those Fangs
4. More Bad Times
5. French Girl
6. Truckstop Butterfly
7. Ghosts are Everywhere
8. Loose Balloon
9. Flame Is Love
10. So Lo So Hi
11. Poor Turtle
12. Rot in The Sun
13. Warhead
14. Deleter

You may have noticed between this review and our previous one on Nerf Herder that old school pop punk is alive and well in 2008. Well, alive, if it’s well is something that we’re here to discuss. The Presidents Of The United States Of America [or PUSA as we will refer to them] have a timeless feel to their sound. Classic hits like, “Peaches,” are still great songs today which is something most pop punk/ska bands fail to achieve: music that outlives the band. Many have written PUSA off as a fluke hit band who wouldn’t last 3 years, well it’s been 15 years and through indefinite breaks and brief reformations, PUSA has survived. The result of all this? A new album entitled These Are The Good Times People that find PUSA staying true to the light, fun, tongue in cheek sound that first brought them to our attention all those years ago.

Good Times wastes no time getting started with the instantly catchy, “Messed Up S.O.B.” Vocalist Chris Ballew’s voice is unmistakable and will quickly bring you back to the place you were when you first heard, “Lump.” The song itself is, like the entire album, quite simple in both lyrics and structure, but PUSA has never been one to complicate things when they didn’t need to be complicated. The follow up track, “Ladybug,” is more drum heavy through the verses than most of the band’s material, but it’s still a simple format. The stand out here is the brief guitar riff/solos that come in between the verses. They’re really well done, but their brief length is almost a tease because as soon as you realize the catchy riff, the verse comes back in.

The first song to be heard off this album and my personal favorite is the fourth track, “More Bad Times.” This acoustic song is a quirky love tale that only The Presidents could pull off. The verses are nothing more than lists of things a girl [we assume] never did and the pre-chorus is, “you twisted your ankle, I carried you, you got a divorce so I married you, you fell off a cliff so I buried you, I wish there were more bad times to see you through,” which let’s us know he only desires these bad things to have happened so that he could spend one more moment with this person. The chorus is simple repetition of the words, “Wish there were more bad times,” that give the song the kind of twist only PUSA can write. It’s a standout not only on this album, but for their career in general.

As the album moves along, “Ghosts Are Everywhere,” is laced with an undeniable bass line while, “Flame Is Love,” sounds like a late 50’s rock jam that someone opening for Elvis might have played. PUSA really explore a lot of varying sounds on this album, but still stay true to simple songwriting and undeniably catchy hooks. “So Lo So Hi,” however, is more of a throwback to earlier PUSA material and will surely satisfy fans looking for new, “Lump,” like tracks. It’s this older sound that carries the band throughout the remainder of the album. In Fact, “Deleter,” the final track has a really funky tone to it, but you know it’s only a sound PUSA would bring out. It’s a great closer because it combines some new sounds with the classic style of The Presidents and leaves you wondering just what these guys will come up with next.

Unfortunately, like with any album, some track leave a bit to be desired. “French Girl,” feels far to forced to be quirky or cute. The music is good, but the song writing goes from fun and simple to just plain lazy and simple. Also, following such a standout track like, “More Bad Times,” really brings to light the errors in this track. “Loose Balloon,” also fails to impress. It’s more of the acoustic sound PUSA explores on this album, but a weird vocal effect really hurts the overall sound. I will say however, the metaphor expressed is a great idea, it just never comes to fruition.

In the end, The Presidents of the United States of America haven’t bested themselves, but rather proved they can still make the music people fell in love with 15 years ago. These are Good Times People shows the band growing and maturing still, but still staying true to their roots and that’s admirable no matter who is performing. This album won’t change the music industry or shake your soul, but it will entertain you and give you plenty of catchy hooks to get engrained in your skull for days on end. You need to hear this record. If for nothing else than to remember just how FUN music can be.

*Written By: James Shotwell*
GRADE: 7/10

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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